This invention relates generally to hand-held portable containers for liquids, such as portable fuel tanks for gasoline and the like. More specifically, this invention relates to pouring spouts for such containers, which incorporate an integral float valve mechanism that is magnetically latched and unlatched to prevent both overfilling a reservoir when liquid is poured through the spout, and to prevent unintended spillage through the valve after it has dosed. In this regard, the valve is magnetically latched in the dosed position, when filling of a reservoir is completed and it is released from that position by application of a sealing cap containing a release magnet. The cap serves as a manual seal of the spout while it remains in position, leaving the valve unlatched, open and ready to permit pouring of fluid through the spout into another container or reservoir, when the cap is removed.
Pouring spouts incorporating float valve mechanisms for use with liquid-containing portable tanks, are known in the art. Some such prior art float valve mechanisms for pouring spouts have disclosed the use of magnet elements intended to retain the valve in its dosed position, until the mechanism has been physically displaced to again permit fluid flow through the spout. Other magnetic valve mechanisms have been disclosed in connection with the inlet openings of fluid storage or receiving tanks that prevent filling of the tank unless a properly selected magnetic fill cap or nozzle is attached to xe2x80x9copenxe2x80x9d the inlet valve; this arrangement is intended to help prevent the possibility of filling the tank with the xe2x80x9cwrongxe2x80x9d, e.g. unintended or improper, fluid.
However, none of the prior art devices have addressed the problem solved by this invention; that is, providing a pouring spout which is latched in its xe2x80x9cdosedxe2x80x9d position, after fluid has been delivered to a given level in a receiving reservoir, and then remains latched in the closed position until the spout has been manually closed by application of a sealing cap that also serves to open the magnetic latch. The prior art devices similarly fail to provide any guidance for solving the problem of controlling displacement of the latching elements between xe2x80x9copenxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cclosedxe2x80x9d positions so as to prevent inadvertent failure to open when parts are subject to sudden or unexpected movement. For example, if the elements displace too rapidly, full release or proper latching may not take place as desired.
It is an object of this invention to provide a pouring spout for a portable fluid tank that automatically closes and latches itself closed at a given fluid fill point and then prevents further unintended flow through the spout until the latch has been deliberately released.
A further object of this invention is the provision of a sealable, latchable pouring spout in which the seal latch is released in response to the positioning of a manual sealing cap.
Another object of this invention is the provision of a pouring spout having a magnetic latch which is responsive to the positional orientation of the spout.
Still another and further object of this invention is the provision of a pouring spout having a displaceable latching magnet, in which the rate of displacement of the magnet is slowed in a controlled manner to avoid premature operation of the latching mechanism.